I knew this was coming sooner or later!

[Wurider05]

My link

The NBA owners are reportedly bracing for a lockout after the 2010-11 season.

Owners are looking to significantly lower salaries.

One executive spoke about Amare Stoudemire and that he wouldn’t even get a five-year contract worth $60 million under the next CBA.

One team owner said that it would be even worse for Stoudemire.

“The owners are really going to chop the money down,’’ the owner said. “I think Stoudemire would get $5 or $6 million [annually] in the next deal. The bottom line is that things are going to change dramatically.’’

A general manager, however, believes that the line of thinking from that owners was extreme.

“That [$5 million for Stoudemire] sounds a little bizarre, but player salaries are definitely going to take a hit,’’ the GM said. “Players that come up for contracts under the new CBA are going to find themselves getting a lot less money.’’

One GM told ESPN that the owners are looking to shorten the maximum length of a contract to four or five years. He added that they have actually discussed trying to guarantee only the first two years of a four-year deal, and that the third and fourth years would be guaranteed only if a player reached certain performance-based incentives the previous season.

“Those concepts are being discussed,’’ another GM told ESPN. “Is there a sentiment among some [owners] that they’d like to have it like football? Yeah. But I think that’s out of bounds.’’

Billy Hunter, who heads the players association, is unlikely to go willingly with these salary reductions.

“There’s going to be a lockout,’’ the owner said. “There’s not even a doubt in my mind about that. Billy’s not going to make a deal like that. Teams are already saving up money for a strike.’’

Too many bad contracts. Too much is guaranteed. For the league to survive there can be no other way!!

[Admin]

Well I'd hate to have another strike short seasoned or perhaps no season at all but the owners are right these salaries and guaranteed contracts are ridiculous! It would be wonderful if a team could cut a player who got his new contract and then severely underperformed instead of holding the team and the owners hostage until his next contract season.

And damn I sure wish that I could get a guaranteed 6 year contract with raises but unfortunately that doesn't happen too often for us regular folk.

[Plainview1981]

If there is a lockout it might be the nail in the coffin for me. The league does everything it can to punish it's fans by having lockouts and by doing it's little game like we saw in the Cleveland/Hawks game.

[jerrywest]

If Amare gets 5-10 mil per year for 4 years, is it worth signing JJ to an $80 million contract?

Folks, the time is now. Ain't no tomorrow.

[coachx]

If there is a lockout it might be the nail in the coffin for me. The league does everything it can to punish it's fans by having lockouts and by doing it's little game like we saw in the Cleveland/Hawks game.

They are not intending on punishing the fans.

Players contracts have gotten out of control. Its just as much the players and agents as it is the owners.

NBA basketball players are some of the most over paid people in the world.

Edited January 27, 2010 by coachx

[jerrywest]

They are not intending on punishing the fans.

Players contracts have gotten out of control. Its just as much the players and agents as it is the owners.

NBA basketball players are some of the most over paid people in the world.

TMac the highest paid player in the NBA is making 22 million this year - played 47 total minutes. Currently in the dog house.

A few years ago I saw 5 of the top 10 paid players making like 20 mill each were injured or in the dog house.

NBA is full of bad contracts. Speedy was a blip in the ocean. We don't have any right now. JJ will be one of those in 5-6 years.

[DJlaysitup]

TMac the highest paid player in the NBA is making 22 million this year - played 47 total minutes. Currently in the dog house.

A few years ago I saw 5 of the top 10 paid players making like 20 mill each were injured or in the dog house.

NBA is full of bad contracts. Speedy was a blip in the ocean. We don't have any right now. JJ will be one of those in 5-6 years.

They were talking today on sports radio (on my drive home) about how Arenas is losing $147,000 for every game he misses due to his suspension. I'm not bringing up the suspension part so much - just the FACT that Gilbert makes $147,000 per forkin game - that is ridiculous.